Rita E Ladwig
April 25, 1923 - October 28, 2021
Obituary
MADISON - Rita E. Ladwig, age 98, of Madison, died on Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021, at Oakwood Village Prairie Ridge in Madison, Wis. She was born on April 25, 1923, in Manitowoc, Wis., the daughter of Michael and Theresa (Holschbach) Mohr.
Rita graduated from Lincoln High School in Manitowoc in 1941. She married Kenneth K. Ladwig on July 15, 1950, in Manitowoc. They lived in Appleton, Wis., until 1964 when they moved to Monona, where they lived until Ken passed away in 2005. After he passed, Rita moved to Oakwood East Prairie Ridge Independent Living until 2019 when she moved to Seasons Assisted Living at Oakwood.
Rita was a quiet, kind, supportive, understanding and compassionate person and a greatly loved and appreciated mom and grandma. She was a homemaker but worked various part-time jobs over the years as well. Rita was a longtime member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Monona. She enjoyed going to the Monona Pool with her "girls" for exercise and swimming classes. Rita loved to crochet and tend to her garden both at her home in Monona and later at her Oakwood apartment. She loved spending time with her grandchildren and enjoyed watching all their activities as they grew up.
Rita is survived by her two children, Mary (Dan) Barber of DeForest and Michael (Peggy) Ladwig of Monona; and two grandchildren, Geoffrey (James Johnson) Barber of Chaska, Minn., and Emily (Jacob) Ward of Carver, Minn. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ken; her parents; and her sister, Lorraine Mohr.
A memorial service will be held at THE TREE OF LIFE CHAPEL AT OAKWOOD VILLAGE PRAIRIE RIDGE, 5565 Tancho Drive, Madison, at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, with Chaplain Wayne Shannon officiating. A gathering at The Crossings at Oakwood Village Prairie Ridge will follow the service for refreshments and her favorite--cookies. Private burial will be at Calvary Cemetery, Manitowoc.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be gifted in Rita’s name to Agrace HospiceCare, 5395 E. Cheryl Pkwy, Fitchburg, WI 53711. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.
Gunderson East
Funeral & Cremation Care
5203 Monona Drive
(608) 221-5420
Events
Memorial Service
Sat Nov 6, 2021 @ 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM CDT
Oakwood Village East Tree of Life Chapel • 5565 Tancho Drive, Madison, WI null
Photos
No photos of Rita have been shared yet.
Memories
AW
Ann White
Other •
Mary, Michael & Families: My thoughts are with you as we all reflect on the long, GOOD life of Rita. While I was very small when your family moved from Appleton, I recall many great memories of our frequent family visits through many decades. My mom considered "REEta" as her best friend - she would always accentuate the first syllable of Rita's name in endearment. Rita was always such a comforting person to me and I can still hear her great laugh. She was ALWAYS smiling. In this month of November, as we reflect on what we are thankful for in our lives - your mom and dad, and the friendship our families had, is right there at the top. Take care. With love & sympathy ~ Ann (Kiekhaefer) White, Raleigh North Carolina
JK
jane kopp
Other •
Our families shared many happy memories together over the years that i treasure to this day. Rita seemed just as you described her in the obituary-quiet & kind with- as my sister Ann said-a great laugh. we always had a good time when our families got together. you took such good care of her in her later years. now is the time to take good care of yourselves & enjoy your memories. Jane Kopp